Dry-cleaning apparatus.



A." THAUBE.

DRY CLEANING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED mu. 9. 192a.

LQQLQSG, Patented Jan.14,1919. V

INVENTOR ATTORNEY STATES/ PATENT oFFIoE.

ABRAHAM amuse, or naookmm, new-103155 To all who m z't mag concern: I

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM Timueaa citizen of the United States siding at 1418 Cortelyou New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dry-Cleaning Apparatus,

of which thelfollowing is a specification,

My invention relat' to an apparatus for dry cleaning fabrics, such as clothes, garments or the like, by means of volatile solvents.

An object of my invention is the provision of a clothes cleaning apparatus having means associated therewith for rendering the application of the solvents, their recuperationand all intermediate steps, con

tinuous and automatic, so that withoutthe aid of an attendant, a garment may be repeatedly treated for predetermined intervals with the same supply of solvents.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a system of supplying the solvents to and withdrawing the same from a-clothes cleaning apparatus, and means for maintaining a vacuum within the apparatus at all times to prevent escape nent of gases from the apparatus, whereby the gases emanating from the solvents will be automatically collected and prevented, from escaping tothe atmosphere, thereby eliminating any chances of fire or injury to the operator ofthe ap- M paratus by inhalation of the gases.

I will describe one form of apparatus and system embodying my invention, and W111 then pointputthe novel features thereof in claims. fl

In the accompanying drawings the figure a view showing in side elevation oneapparatus embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a platform upon which is mounted the cleaning apparatus, generally indicated at A. In the present instance the cleaning apparatus comprises a cylindrical air-tight tank 11 mounted upon supporting standards 12, and a rotatable drum 1 3 mounted within the tank 11. The drum 13 is of the usual construction, it being formed of longitudinally extending spaced ribs 14, so that the detergent liquids or solvents contained within the tank may pass freely throughthe drum and on to the garments contained within the drum. As shown, the drum is fixed to a shaft E, the opposite ends of which nmzecnmuma errhnarus. i

of America, reroad, Brooklyn,

- of pipes 27 and 28 and 32 and the 33. This valve when in the tioIn communicates with t are jo'urnaled in'the tank 11; For the purpose of heating the interior of the tank 11, the apparatus A is provided coil 15, to. which steam agent is supplied, by means of a pipe 16. he heat ng agent is supplied to the p1pe 16 by means of a branch pipe 17controlled by a valve 18, and withdrawal of the heating agent from the coil iseifected by means of abran'ch pipe 19 controlled by a valve 20. For the purpose of cooling the interior of the apparatus A, such apparatus is provided with a cooling coil n Fig. 1.- This coil is supplied with a coolmg agent by means ing and withdrawal mg effected by pipes 23 and 24 respectively, controlled by valves 25 and 26 respectively. 1 The apparatus A is connected by means with a reservoirR, such reservo r containing one of the solvents, such as benzm, employed in the cleaning appa ratus. The reservoir R is at a lower level than the apparatus A, the pipe 27 being connected tofthe underside of the tank- 11,

through the medium of a sediment catching receptacle 29. By means of a pipe 81, controlled by a' valve 80, ammonia gas, coristi- For draining the tank 11 of the solvents after each cleaning. operation, I provide two storage receptacles D and D, which are supported upon a platform 42 and which are connected to pipe 27 through the me dium of a pipe 30' and branch pipes 31 and 32. At the intersection of the pipe 30', I provide a valve is a two-way valve and posltion showfnit connects pipe 30 with pipe 31, and when in the position shown in dotted lines, it connects pipe 32 i with pipe 30. At the intersection of pipes 27, 28 and 30, I provide another valve 34 which is capable of occupying two extreme with a heating, or any other heating 21, shown in dotted lines a of apipe 22 the supplyof the coolihg agent bepipes 31 Patented Jan. '14,- 1919.?

positions and an intermediate position, and

connects pipe 27 with pipe30 or ,28, according as it occupies one extreme position or the other, and disconnects pipe 27 from these pipes when in the intermediate posi- For the purpose of removing residue gases from the apparatus A, I provide an exhaust pipe 35, the upper end of which he upper sideof the tankll, while the lower" end thereof is con-' nectedto a condenser This condenser C lower 'is of the usualconstruction,'it being rovided with inletand outlet pipes 36 an '37 respectively, for circulating a cooling medium about ga'coil of pipe-38 which has "its upper end connected to pipe 35, while -its lower endtcommunicates with a -d1s-' charge pipe 39", 'iyhich latter is in turn connected to a vacuum pump P. The pump P is driven by the sha as shown, and is designed for the purpose of creating a vacuum in the exhaust pipe 35 in the tank 11, thereby removing residue gases from the tankand passing the same through the condenser C whereby such gases will be condensed and again used. The vacuum pump is provided with a discharge p1pe40, which comand consequently municates with a main discharge pipe 41,

whereby the condensed gases may be conveyed to a clarifier B disposedbelow the platform 42. The clar fier B 1s connected' with the reservoir R by a pipe 90,

as shown. v

The exhaust pipe is provided wlth a branch pipe 43, and the passage of gases through the pipes 35 and 43 is controlled by a a two-wa valve 44, disposed at the intersection o the two pipes. Thepipe 43, in

turn, communicates with two branch pipes 45 and 46, and the passage of liquid or gases from pipe 43 to pipes 45 and 461s controlled by a two-way valve 47. The plpe 45 communicateswith-the storage receptacle D, While pipe 46 communicates with the storage receptacle D. Communicat ng with the bottom of the receptacles D and D are pipes 48 and 49 respectively, which pipes are connected to the main discharge pipe 41, and the passage of. solvents through this pipe is controlled by a two-way'valve 50.

As previously stated, the discharge pipe '41 communicates with the clarifier B, and.

a main power shaft 51, journaled in hangers.

52 which depend from the under side of the platform 10. Arranged upon the platform 10 is a driven shaft 53 journaled in bearings 54 and operatively connected to the power shaft 51 by means of a belt 55. The shaft 53 is provided with a loose pulley 57, a fixed pulley 56, and an idle pulley 58- interposed between the two. Fixed to and rotatable with the. pulley 57 is a beveled gear 57* which constantly meshes with another beveled gear 57 supported on a suitable bracket, as shown. The gear 57"in turn t 51 through a belt 92,

' :inqneee meshes with a beveled gear 57". which is fixed t0. the. shaft 53. 'It will thus be seen that when the pulley 56 is driven in oneldirection, the shaft 53 is rotated in the, QOIEE'."

res ending direction, and when pulley 571 23' is riven m the same direction as pulley 56,

shaft 53 is driven in the op osite direction through the beveled gears 5 57", and .57". I

A belt 55,is trained over a pulley 59 fixed to the shaft 51, such pulley being elongated to permit lateral shifting of the belt thereon. As shown in the figure, the belt normally passes around the idle pulley 58 so that 'motion is not imparted to the drive shaft 53. However, by means of a shifting device 60, the belt may be shifted to en: gage either pulley 56 or 57 so as to rotate the shaft 53 in one direction or the other.- The shifting device 60 may be operated automatically to reverse the direction of the rotation at predetermined intervals, however, to simplify the drawings, I have not shown such means. For driving the drum 13 at a relatively slow speed, a small pinion 61 is fixed to the shaft 53 and meshes with a relatively large. gear 62 fixed to a shaft E.

To effect an automatic operation of the entire system for supplying solvents to the cleaning apparatus A, and for recu crating the same, I provide-mechanism or continuously operating thevarious valves at predetermined intervals and in proper sequence, thereby rendering the apparatus wholly automatic in operation and thus eliminating the necessity of an'attendant. In

the present instance, this end is accomplished by operatin a'll of-the valves by cams K, such cams icing fixed to a shaft 63 journaled in hangers. 64 suspended from the platform 10. \The shaft 63 is driven at a predetermined sldw speed by the shaft 51, through. the medium of a beveled pinion 93 fixed to the .ishaft 51and meshing with a large beveled gear 94 fixed to one end of a pintle, 95, the opposite end of the pintle being provided with a worm 96 meshing with a worm gear 97 fixed to shaft 63. Each valve is provided with an arm 65 to which is pivotally connected one end of a rod 66, while the opposite end of such rod is arranged to contact at all times with the surface of its corresponding cam K. The rods 66 disposed above the cam shaft 63, constantly engage the surfaces of their cams K at all times, by the action of gravity, while the rods disposed below the cam shaft are maintained in engagement with their cams by means of contractile springs 67.

- The valves 33 and 47 are adapted to be op ing to either of the positions shown in dotted lines.

tions.

From the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, theoperation of the cleaning apparatus and mechanism will be apparent as follows: The clothes or garments to be cleaned are placed within the drum through, air-tight doors (not shown) formed on the tank and drum respectively. Power isnow applied to the main shaft51 so that it is continuously rotated in the direction of the arrow. At

the beginning of every cleaning operation, all of the valves occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1 and which I term the normal posi- By means of the slowly rotating shaft 63, exhaust pipe 35 is now connected with one direction and time, during which the vacuum pump P, by movement of valve 44 to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the air in tank 11 is withdrawn through pipe 35, condenser pipes 40 and 41 to atmosphere. With'the exhaustion of 'air from tank 11, a suction isv created in pipe 28 thereby drawing the cleaning solvent from the reservoir tank'R into tank 11. After a predetermined quantity of the solvent has entered the tank .11,

the valve 34 returns to its intermediate position, thus discontinuing the supply of sol-.

vent to the tank. Pump P however, remains connected with tank 11 andthus continu'es to withdraw allvaporsor gases from the ,tank during the cleaning operation,- whereby a constant vacuum' therein isalways maintained. This is a very important feature of my invention, as by continuously withdrawing all gases from the cleaningapparat'us, any possibility of gases escaping from the apparatus to cause explosion or in jury of an attendant by inhalation of such gases is eliminated. During intake of the solvents into tank 11, from reservoir R, valve. 80 is opened for a short interval, thus admitting ammonia gas to tank 11 from tank T, the same intermixing with the other solvents and thereby' producing an eflicient cleaning mixture. The solvent mixture now having been supplied to'the cleaning apparatus, the drum ment of valve 34- to the valve from the position shown' in the draws connected from pipe 41 C, pump P, and

including receptacle D, v the vacuum in tank 11.

it ,will be manifest that the used solvent mixrotation thereof first in solvent mixture, in a" maintained in the cleaning-apparatus, the

pipe 27 is connected withpipe 30 by move its upper extreme position, and pipe 35 is, disconnected from pump P and connected with pipe 43 by movement of valve 44 toits normalposition. As a result, the solvent the valves 33 and 47 occupying the position shown, communicationbetween pipes 30 and 43 and'the receptacle D pipes 32 and 45 respectively, thus allowing the used mixture to pass into the receptacle owever, as valve 50 occupieslthe position shown in the drawings, pipe 49 is disand atmosphere, so that the receptacle D is maintained 'air-tight and the emptyingof the same prevented. By this arrangement, I produce a completely closed vacuum circuit, which circuit is as followsf The tank 11, pipes 27, 30 and 32, receptacle D, pipes 45, 43 and 35 back to tank 11. This vacuum circuit permits draining of the tank 11, at the same time maintaining a constant vacuum in thetank and thus preventing the escape of gases from any part of the system.

After the drainage of tank 11 has been thoroughly efiected, the same cycle of oper ations is repeated for the next cleaning operation. At that period in the second clean-. ing operation, when" the used solvent and gases are admitted to pipes 30 and 43 respectively, valves 33 and 47 have been moved to occupy the positions shown in dotted lines,

wherein pipes 30 and. 43 are connected to pipes 31 and 46 respectively, thus allowing the solvents and gases to pass into Upon movement of valves 33 and 47m the positions'shown in dotted lines, valve 50 is also moved toits dotted line position, so that pipe 49 is connected with pipe 41. The

used solvents 1n receptacleD now pass to the clarifier C where they are filtered and returned to reservoirR through pipe 90. It

will thus be seen that as receptacleD is being filled, receptacle D is being emptied and that theemptying of receptacle D does not disturb the closed vacuum circuit now thereby maintaining From the foregoing ture is deposited in one of the receptacles dur1ng one cleaning operation and in the other receptacle during" the next cleaning operation, and that when either receptacle is being filled, the other is being emptied. After .the predetermined number of cleanoperation is completed, the valve 18 is closed mixture drainsfrom tank 11 into pipe 27 and then into pipe 30. With receptacle ing operations have been completed, and the and the valve 20 is opened, thus exhausting the steaimfrom the coil 15 tlirough'pipe 19.

' Simultaneously therewith, yalve 25 is opened to admit a cooling agent to coil 21, thereby cooling theapparatus for the next lot of clothes.

It will 'be apparent from the above description that garments or clothes maybe subjected to any desired number of cleaning operations, without the constant attention means for conveying a solvent to said apa receptacle for receiving the used paratus,

a' closed pipe solvent from said apparatus,

' circuitincluding said apparatus and said ratus,

receptacle, and means for creating a vacu y' um in said circuit.

2.. In combination, a cleaning apparatus, means for conveying a solvent to said appaa receptacle for receiving the used solvent from said apparatus, cuithncluding said apparatus and said "receptacle, means for creating a vacuum in said circuit, and means for maintaining said vacuum in said circuit when saidv'acuum created means is disconnected from said circuit. 3. In combination, a cleaning apparatus, means for conveying a solvent to said apparatus, a pair of receptacles for receiving the used solvent from said apparatus, means for separately emptying said receptacles, a closed pipe circuit including said receptacles, and means for disconnecting, either receptacle from said pipe circuit when the same is be- 'ing'. emptie 4. In coriibination, a cleaning apparatus,

a closed pipe cira receptacle, a closed pipe circuit including said apparatus and said receptacle, means for creating a vacuum in said circuit, a solvent reservoir, a branch pipe connecting said solvent reservoir and said-circuit, and means for establishing communication between said circuit and said branch pipe to utilize the vacuum in said circuit to draw the solvent from said reservoir into said apparatus. '5. cleaning apparatus, comprising a tank, means for p :oducing a vacuum for introducing a solveiit into said tank and removing the solvent and residue gases from said tank, and mechanism for controlling said means and for rendering the operation thereof continuous and in proper sequence. 6. A cleaning apparatus comprising a tank, a cleaning drum, means for-introducing a predetermined quantity of solvent into said tank, means for withdrawing said solvent from said tank after a predetermined interval, and means for withdrawing the solvent vapors from said casing. v 7. A cleaning apparatus com rising a tank, means for introducing a so vent into said tank, means for recuperating said solventsubsequent to the cleaning operation,

and cam'operated means for controlling the last mentioned means.

8..A cleaning apparatus com rising a tank, means for introducing a so vent into said tank, means for removing said solvent after a predetermined interval, means for heating said tank for a predetermined in' terval subsequent to the withdrawal of said solvent, and means for cooling said tank.

9. In combination, a cleaning apparatus, means for introducing a solvent into said apparatus and for recuperating the same after the cleaning operation, and means for maintaining a. vacuum in said apparatus prior to, during, and subsequent to the cleaning operation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ABRAHAM TRAUBE. 

